Pattern mechanism for knitting machines

ABSTRACT

Pattern mechanism for a circular knitting machine, the pattern mechanism including a cam drum, first and second indexing means movable through indexing strokes to successively index the cam drum during first and second rotations of pairs of rotations of the needle cylinder of the machine, and means for controlling the indexing strokes of the first and second indexing means whereby the indexing strokes of both indexing means are prevented during the pairs of cylinder rotations, indexing strokes of both indexing means are permitted during a pair of cylinder rotations, or the indexing stroke of one of the indexing means is permitted in one cylinder rotation and the indexing stroke of the other indexing means is prevented in the other cylinder rotation of the pair.

United States Patent 3,698,210 Anke et al. [4 1 Oct. 17, 1972 [54] PATTERN MECHANISM FOR 3,380,265 4/1968 Peberdy ..66/50 B X KNITTING MACHINES [72] Inventors: Rudolph G. Anke, Reading; James Pr'mary Exammer wm Caner Reynolds D. Moyer, Wyomissing, both of Pa.

Attorney-John R. Bronaugh, Floyd S. Levison, E. Dennis OConnor and Richard A. Speer [73] Assignee: North American Rockwell Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa. 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: 14, 1970 Pattern mechanism for a circular knitting machine, [211 App} 80,544 the pattern mechanism including a cam drum, first and second indexing means movable through indexing strokes to successively index the cam drum during first [52] US. Cl ..66 155 and second rotations of pairs of rotations of the needle [51 llit. Cl. ..D04b /00 cylinder of the machine, and means for controlling the [58] new M Search "66/154 154 B indexing strokes of the first and second indexing means whereby the indexing strokes of both indexing [56] References C'ted means are prevented during the pairs of cylinder rota- UNITED STATES PATENTS tions, indexing strokes of both indexing means are permitted during a pair of cylinder rotations, or the in- Moyer R d ing t oke of one of the indexing means is per- 2,579,161 12/1951 Teague "66/50 3 X mitted in one cylinder rotation and the indexing stroke 3,289,437 12/1966 Mahler ..66/50 B of the other indexing means is prevented i the other 2,045,938 6/1936 Bentley et al. ..66/ I54 R X cylinder rotation of the pain 3,093,987 6/1963 Zahradka et al. ..66/50 B X 3,124,945 3/1964 Moretta ..66/50 B X 1 Claim, 10 Drawing Figures I I O I I 3 7 45 57 22 |I O 0 40 62 60 4/ 86 O 1 a2 {f 4 7 6 PAIENTEII B I7 I97? 3 6 98 2 1 SHEET 1 OF 2 ZQ HZ .96 I l l 05 0 PATENTEBncI n ma 3,698,210

SHEET 2 [IF 2 FIG. 4.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION conventionally circular knitting machines are provided with a cam drum having cam bits for instituting the various operating functions of the machine, indexing means including a pawl and ratchet for indexing the cam drum and means for controlling the active and inactive positions of the pawl. In one form of indexing means for the cam drum, such as that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,436,468, the pawl is continuously operated through an indexing movement during each pair of rotations of the needle cylinder of the machine and both the active positions of the pawl and the spacing of the ratchet teeth are varied to determine the point in either the first or second of the pair of cylinder rotations in which the indexing movement of the pawl occurs.

In another form of indexing means for the cam drum such as that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,169,384, the ratchet is provided with equally spaced pins or teeth and a first or main pawl, associated with a main ratchet, is continuously operated through an indexing movement during four rotations of the needle cylinder with the indexing move of the cam drum resulting from the indexing movement of the pawl when in its active position occurring during the first two of the four cylinder rotations. The mechanism of this patent also includes a second or auxiliary pawl which is continuously operated to act on one or more toothed members on the main ratchet when moved into the path of the-auxiliary pawl during an indexing move of the cam drum by the main pawl, to provide a partial indexing movement of the cam drum.

More recently, in order to more accurately control the indexing movements of the cam drum in relationship to the cylinder rotations, mechanism was developed, such as that disclosed in the patent of James D. Moyer, US. Pat. No. 3,605,449, filed Oct. 6, 1969 and assigned to the assignee of the instant application. The mechanism of said application Ser. No. 864,140, includes a ratchet, first and second pawls acting on the ratchet, a first cam for continuously moving the first pawl through cam drum indexing movements in the first or pairs of cylinder rotations, and a second cam for continuously moving the second pawl through cam drum indexing movements in the second of the pairs of cylinder rotations. Mechanism is also provided to control the active and inactive positions of the pawls to idle both pawls during their indexing movements, to permit the two pawls to successively index the cam drum in each rotation of a pair of cylinder rotations, or to permit one pawl to index the cam drum during one rotation of the pair of cylinder rotations and idle the other pawl during the other cylinder rotation of the pair.

In each of the mechanisms of the above noted US. Pat. Nos. 2,436,468, 3,167,384, and 3,605,449 the pawls are normally biased by spring means toward engagement with their associated ratchets and the force exerted on the pawls by the spring means coupled with the continuous indexing movements of the pawls causes wear between the pawls and the means for controlling the active and inactive positions thereof which results in malfunction of the pawls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized the invention resides in the provision of control means for the cam drum indexing means of a circular knitting machine, the indexing means including a ratchet having equally spaced teeth, first and second pawls acting on the ratchet teeth, a first cam for operating the first pawl through indexing strokes to index the cam drum during one of any pair of rotations of the needle cylinder of the machine, and a second cam for operating the second pawl through indexing strokes during the other cylinder rotations of any pair. The control means includes first and second members for arresting the indexing strokes of the first and second pawls, and means for controlling the movement of the arresting members between active positions to arrest the indexing strokes of the pawls and inactive positions to permit indexing; strokes of the pawls during pairs of cylinder rotations in a manner to prevent indexing strokes of both pawls to permit successive indexing strokes of both pawls and to permit an indexing stroke of one pawl and prevent the indexing stroke of the other pawl. The controlling means for the arresting members is adapted to maintain one of the arresting members in active arresting position when the other arresting member is in inactive position to permit anindexing stroke of its associated pawl.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a portion of a circular knitting machine having mechanism according to the invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow 6 of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 7 to 9 are views similar to FIG. 6 but showing the parts in different operating positions; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a. pattern mechanism of the machine for controlling the operation of the mechanism of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is shown a portion of a circular knitting machine adapted for rotary operation to form tubular fabrics such as stockings, the machine including a. usual circle of needles, indicated at 10, which are slidably mounted in slots in a cylinder 11 mounted for rotation on a plate member 12 forming a part of a framework 15 of the machine. The cylinder 11 is rotated by gearing (not shown) from a drive shaft 16 in a conventional manner. The machine has a plurality of knitting stations 17 each of which is provided with yarn fingers 20 for feeding yarns to the needles and sinkers and cam means (not shown) for operating the needles and sinkers in forming courses of the stocking fabrics. Also provided in the machine is a first pattern means in the form of a cam drum 21 carried on a shaft 22 rotatably mounted in the framework and a second pattern means in the form of a pattern chain or like member, indicated at 25 in FIG. 10. The cam drum 21 is provided with usual circumferential rows of cam members or bits 26 for controlling the operating mechanisms of the machine and the cam drum is adapted to be indexed in steps through a complete rotation by mechanism 27 (FIGS. 2 and 3) in a manner hereinafter set forth. The pattern means 25 which is also adapted to control operating mechanisms of the machine is indexed by pawl and ratchet means, indicated at 30 in FIG. 10, in a pattern selecting step during each rotation of the needle cylinder 1 1.

The mechanism 27 for indexing the cam drum 21 includes a ratchet 31 secured to the shaft 22 adjacent one end thereof (FIGS. 1 and 2), the ratchet having a plurality of equally spaced teeth 32 adapted to be engaged by a first pawl 35 pivotally carried on a pin 36 secured to one arm 37 of a pawl lever 40 pivotally mounted on the shaft 22 between the right side of the ratchet and a collar 41 secured to the shaft 22 (FIG. 4). A spring 42 connected between the pawl 35 and the lever 40 tends to bias the pawl toward engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 31. A second arm 45 of the pawl lever 40 is pivotally connected to one end of a link or rod 46. The rod 46, which extends through an opening in a bracket 47 secured by screws 50 to a portion of the framework 15 (FIG. 2), has its other end pivotally connected to one arm 51 of a cam lever 52. The cam lever 52 is pivoted on a stub shaft 55 secured in fixed position in the framework 15. A second arm 56 of the cam lever 52 carries a roller type follower 57 for engagement with a cam 60 fixed on a shaft 61 rotatably carried in the framework 15. A compression type coil spring 62 on the rod 46 between the bracket 47 and a collar 65 tends to bias the rod toward the left and turn the lever 52 and follower 57 thereon clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, toward engagement with the cam 60. The shaft 61 is rotated by spur gearing 66 from the shaft 16 through a complete revolution during two rotations of the needle cylinder 11. The cam 60 has a low portion 67 which permits the spring 62 to move the rod 46 toward the left (FIG. 2) and turn the lever 40 and pawl 35 counterclockwise to reset the pawl for an indexing movement and a high portion 70 which acts through the lever 52 to move the rod toward the right and turn the lever 40 and pawl 35 clockwise through an indexing movement.

The teeth 32 of the ratchet 31 are also adapted to be acted on by a second pawl 71 pivotally carried on an arm of a pawl lever 72 pivotally mounted on the shaft 22 at the left side of the ratchet (FIG. 4). The lever 72, which is identical to the lever 40, has a second arm pivotally connected by a rod, similar to the rod 46, to one arm of a lever 75 pivotally mounted on the stub shaft 55. The lever 75, which is substantially identical to the lever 52, has a second arm with a roller type follower for engagement with a cam 76 having low and high portions similarly to the cam 60 for moving the pawl between resetting and indexing positions. The cams 60 and 76, which are identical in configuration, are arranged on the shaft so that as one pawl is moving through an indexing movement under the control of the high portion of its associated cam the other pawl is moving to a reset position under the control of the low portion of its associated cam.

The mechanism 27 for indexing the cam drum 21 as hereinbefore set forth is substantially the same in both structure and operation as that disclosed in said US. Pat. No. 3,605,449. However, where the pawls 32 and 75 are continuously operated through their resetting and indexing movements by the earns 71 and 82 and the active and inactive positions of the pawls are controlled to either permit or prevent indexing movements of the cam drum by the pawls in said US. Pat. No. 3,605,449 the indexing movements of the pawls 35 and 71 of the instant application are controlled to either permit or prevent indexing movements of the pawls 35 and 71.

The means for so permitting or preventing indexing movements of the pawls 35 and 71 in accordance with the instant invention, includes latch levers 77 and 78 pivotally mounted on a stud 80 carried in fixed position in a portion 81 of the framework 15 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The latch lever 77 has a nose portion 82 for engagement with a stop surface 85 formed on an arm 86 of the lever 40 when the lever 40 is moved to the end of its movement in the indexing direction by the high surface 70 of the cam 60 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Similarly to the latch lever 77, the latch lever 78 has a nose portion 87 for engagement with a stop surface 90 on an arm 91 of the lever 72 (FIG. 5) when the lever 72 is moved to the end of its movement in the indexing direction by the high surface of the cam 76.

The latch levers 77 and 78 are adapted to be moved between active positions to engage the levers 40 and 72 to prevent their movement in the pawl resetting direction as indicated by the position of the latch lever 77 in FIG. 3, and inactive positions to release the levers 40 and 72 for movement in the pawl resetting direction as indicated in FIG. 5. The means for so moving the latch levers 77 and 78 between active and inactive positions includes a plate member 92 mounted for pivotal rocking movement on a stud 95 carried in the free end of a lever 96 pivotally mounted on the stud 80 between the latch levers (FIG. 4). Springs 97 connected between the latch levers 77 and 78 and the lever 96 tend to bias the lever 96 and an upper curved surface 100 on the plate member 92 toward engagement with the latch levers to control the active and inactive positions of the latch levers in the manner hereinafter set forth.

Intermediate its free end and the stud 80 the lever 96 is pivotally connected to a core member 101 of a solenoid 102 carried on an angle bracket 105 secured by screws 106 to the framework 15. The operating coil of solenoid 102 is connected in an electrical circuit diagrammatically indicated at 107, with a micro-switch 110 having an operating member 111 (FIGS. 3 and 10). The switch 110 is normally open to de-energize the operating coil of the solenoid 102 and permit a spring 112 connected between the lever 96 and the framework 15 (FIGS. 2 and 3) to normally bias the lever 96 and through the plate member 92 the latch levers 77 and 78, clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3, into latching engagement with the levers 40 and 72, as indicated in FIG. 7. On the other hand, when the operating member 111 is operated to close the switch 110 by a button or riser 115 on the pattern member 25 the solenoid 102 is energized to move the lever 96 and plate member 92 counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 8 to disengage the plate member from both latch levers 77 and 78. At this time, the high portion of one of the cams 60 or 76 is moving toward engagement with its associated cam lever 52 or 75 while the high portion of the other cam is moving out of engagement with its lever and the pressure exerted by the springs 62 and rods 46 on the pawl levers 40 and 72 to move them to reset position is sufficient to maintain the latch levers 77 and 78 in active arresting positions with respect to the pawl levers. Thereafter, when the high portion of the cam 60 or cam 76 is moved into engagement with the associated cam lever the pressure exerted on the pawl lever 37 or 72 is relieved to permit the latch lever 77 or 78 associated therewith to move to inactive position (FIG. 6 or FIG. 9) and to permit movement of the pawl lever 37 or 72 to reset position (FIG. 5) under the control of the low portion of the cam to engage the pawl thereon with the next tooth of the ratchet. The pawl lever and pawl are then moved in the indexing direction by the high portion of the cam to index the cam drum 2].

When the high portion of the cam 76 is moved into engagement with its cam lever 75, as above set forth, the latch lever 78 is moved to inactive position (FIG. 6) to release the pawl lever 72 for movement in the reset direction, as indicated in FIG. 5, and subsequent movement in the indexing direction to index the cam drum. At this time movement of the latch lever 78 to inactive position turns the plate member 92 counterclockwise on the lever 96 to the position of FIG. 6 to move the surface 100 of the plate member into engagement with the latch lever 77 to maintain the latter in latching engagement with the pawl lever 40. On the other hand, when the high portion of the cam 60 is moved into engagement with the cam lever 52, the latch lever 77 is moved to inactive position to release the pawl lever 40 for movement in the reset and indexing directions. During its movement to inactive position the latch lever 77 turns the plate member 92 clockwise to the position of FIG. 9 to move the surface 100 of the plate member into engagement with the latch lever 78 to maintain the latter in latching engagement with the pawl lever 72.

Following energization of the solenoid 102 by a riser 115 during indexing movement of the pattern element to activate one or the other of the pawl levers 40 and 72 for an indexing operation, as above set forth, the solenoid is again de-energized when the riser 115 is moved out of engagement with the switch 110 during the next indexing movement of the pattern member. Thereafter, as the activated pawl lever completes its indexing movement the lever 96 and plate member 92 are turned clockwise by the spring 112 to move the latch lever associated with the activated pawl lever into latching engagement therewith. Also at this time plate member 92 is rotated on the lever 96 to the position of FIG. 7 to maintain both latch levers in latching engagement with their associated pawl levers.

It is believed to be obvious from the foregoing that indexing movement of the cam drum, the indexing movements of both indexing means are permitted to index the cam drum during the successive rotations of the pair, or the indexing movement of one of the indexing means is permitted during one of the pair of cylinder rotations and the indexing movement of the other indexing means is arrested during the other cylinder rotation of the pair.

It will be understood that the improvement specifically shown and described by which the above noted results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, a first pattern means comprising a cam drum for controlling operations of said machine, means for advancing said cam drum in pattern selecting steps including a ratchet, first and second pawls acting on the teeth of said ratchet, a first rotatable cam for moving said first pawl through an indexing movement to advance said cam drum in a pattern selecting step during one rotation of a pair of rotations of said cylinder, and a second cam for moving said second pawl through an indexing movement to advance said cam drum in a pattern selecting step during the other rotation of'said pair of rotations, the improvement comprising means for controlling said indexing movements of said first and second pawls, said controlling means including a first arresting member associated with said first pawl, a second arresting member associated with said second pawl, and common means including a lever movable between first and second positions, a plate member pivotally mounted on and movable with said lever to said first position to move said first and second arresting members to active positions when said common means is in said first position, said. plate member being movable with said lever to said second position and assuming a first angular position to maintain said second arresting member in said active position when said first arresting member is in said inactive position assuming permit said indexing movement of said first pawl and to a second angular position to maintain said first arresting members in active position when said second arresting member is in said inactive position to permit said indexing movement of said second pawl, and spring means connecting said lever and said first and second arresting member to move said first and second arresting members to inactive positions when said lever is in said second position.

Patent No.

Inventor(s) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Dated October 17, 1972 Rudolph G. Anke, James D. Moyer It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, Line 48', delete Line 5 delete Column- 6, Line '48, delete Line 49, delete "or" and insert -of-.

"3,167,384" and insert 3,169,384.

"assuming" and insert --to-- "to" and insert "assuming" Signed and sealed this 10th day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON JR. Attesting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents 

1. In a circular knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, a first pattern means comprising a cam drum for controlling operations of said machine, means for advancing said cam drum in pattern selecting steps including a ratchet, first and second pawls acting on the teeth of said ratchet, a first rotatable cam for moving said first pawl through an indexing movement to advance said cam drum in a pattern selecting step during one rotation of a pair of rotations of said cylinder, and a second cam for moving said second pawl through an indexing movement to advance said cam drum in a pattern selecting step during the other rotation of said pair of rotations, the improvement comprising means for controlling said indexing movements of said first and second pawls, said controlling means including a first arresting member associated with said first pawl, a second arresting member associated with said second pawl, and common means including a lever movable between first and second positions, a plate member pivotally mounted on and movable with said lever to said first position to move said first and second arresting members to active positions when said common means is in said first position, said plate member beIng movable with said lever to said second position and assuming a first angular position to maintain said second arresting member in said active position when said first arresting member is in said inactive position assuming permit said indexing movement of said first pawl and to a second angular position to maintain said first arresting members in active position when said second arresting member is in said inactive position to permit said indexing movement of said second pawl, and spring means connecting said lever and said first and second arresting member to move said first and second arresting members to inactive positions when said lever is in said second position. 